Now imagine, if you can, their spirit being separated from their physical body. The spirit is in the form of the physical body. In viewing the spiritual form of this same person, you don’t notice the affliction at all. The spirit form is completely healthy, with total happiness and peace. You would probably feel immense joy at what you are seeing.

Putting aside that we don’t have the capability to view people in this way — in their spirit form — it is a reality, thanks to latter-day revelation, that we all have physical bodies and spirits that look like them.

Harold B. Lee, the 11th president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, explained the concept in the following way:

“Now, what does a spirit look like? Well, the Lord has given through the Prophet Joseph Smith an inspired answer, and you will find this in the Doctrine and Covenants, section 77, verse 2… All right, now, you see me here as a mature physical man. There is a part of me that you can’t see with your physical eyes–that spiritual part of me that looks out through my eyes and gives me power of movement, and gives me a measure of intellect and intelligence. If you could see my spirit, according to this definition, you would see me in the exact counterpart of my physical body which you are looking at here. ‘The spirit of man in the likeness of his person,’ meaning his physical body, ‘as also the spirit of the beast, and every other creature which God has created.'”

But is the situation described above truly possible? Can we really be spiritually whole no matter what our physical or emotional affliction?

Imagine if it was.

What lengths might you go to in order to ensure that you were spiritually whole? What peace and perspective might that bring you?

The truth is, it is possible. And it’s up to us if we want to make it a reality.

These thoughts all came to my mind as I pondered the talk delivered by President Camille N. Johnson, Relief Society General President in the church, at the April general conference. In her talk, titled “Spiritually Whole in Him,” President Johnson explained that wholeness does not require “physical and emotional restoration in this life” and that it “is born of faith in and conversion to Jesus Christ.”

To help us understand that there is a difference between being physically whole and spiritually whole, President Johnson began her talk by speaking of an account from the New Testament.

“Ten lepers hollered to the Savior, ‘Have mercy on us,'” President Johnson said. “And Jesus did. He told them to show themselves to the priest, and as they went, they were cleansed of the disease.

“And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, shouted praises to God. He returned to the Savior, fell at His feet, and expressed gratitude.

“And the Savior said to him who was thankful, ‘Thy faith hath made thee whole.’

“Jesus Christ had healed 10 lepers. But one, coming back to the Savior, received something in addition. He was made whole.

“Nine lepers were physically healed.

“One was physically healed and made spiritually whole.”

Using that story to springboard into the core questions central to her message, President Johnson said:

“In pondering this story, I have wondered if the converse is true. If healing and wholeness are not the same, can one be made spiritually whole by Him but not yet physically and emotionally healed?

“The Master Healer will heal all our afflictions–physical and emotional–in His time. But in the waiting to be healed, can one be whole?”

The example of the Apostle Paul, which President Johnson summarized, shows that one can be.

“The Apostle Paul had some kind of affliction–what he described as a ‘thorn in the flesh,’ which three times he had asked the Lord to remove,” President Johnson said. “And the Lord said to Paul, ‘My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.’ To which Paul declared:

“‘Most gladly therefore will I … glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

“‘Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, … in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.’

“Paul’s example suggests that even in our weakness, our strength in Jesus Christ can be made perfect–that is, complete and whole. Those who wrestle with mortal struggles and turn to God in faith like Paul can receive the blessings of becoming acquainted with God.

“Paul was not healed of his affliction, but he was spiritually whole in Jesus Christ. And even in his adversity, the light of his conversion to and strength from Jesus Christ was shining, and he was joyful. In his Epistle to the Philippians, he exclaimed, ‘Rejoice in the Lord alway[s]: and again I say, Rejoice.’

“Sisters and brothers, the answer is yes, we can be spiritually whole, even while we wait for physical and emotional healing. Wholeness does not necessarily mean physical and emotional restoration in this life. Wholeness is born of faith in and conversion to Jesus Christ and in letting the light of that conversion shine.”

As I read that, I couldn’t help but think of the people of Alma in the Book of Mormon who were persecuted by Amulon. Alma and his people were persecuted so much that they prayed for relief, but Amulon responded by commanding them to cease, even assigning guards to watch them and put them to death if they were seen praying.

Alma and his people prayed in their hearts, and the Lord heard them.

“And it came to pass that the voice of the Lord came to them in their afflictions, saying: Lift up your heads and be of good comfort, for I know of the covenant which ye have made unto me; and I will covenant with my people and deliver them out of bondage.

“And I will also ease the burdens which are put upon your shoulders, that even you cannot feel them upon your backs, even while you are in bondage; and this will I do that ye may stand as witnesses for me hereafter, and that ye may know of a surety that I, the Lord God, do visit my people in their afflictions.

“And now it came to pass that the burdens which were laid upon Alma and his brethren were made light; yea, the Lord did strengthen them that they could bear up their burdens with ease, and they did submit cheerfully and with patience to all the will of the Lord.” (Mosiah 24:13-15)

The burdens weren’t immediately removed, but the people were given strength to endure them, as Paul was given strength to endure his “thorn in the flesh.” And as Paul was able to be joyful, so were Alma and his people able to “submit cheerfully and with patience.”

They were made whole.

So how does this spiritual wholeness happen?

Simply put, it comes down a choice to demonstrate faith. Alma and his people chose to pray in their hearts when they couldn’t pray aloud. Paul chose to exercise faith even despite his affliction not being removed. The one leper “shouted praises to God” and then “returned to the Savior, fell at His feet, and expressed gratitude.”

President Johnson spoke of Enos from the Book of Mormon, who relentlessly cried unto God.

“And there came a voice unto me, saying: Enos, thy sins are forgiven thee, and thou shalt be blessed.” (Enos 1:5)

She spoke of the 10 virgins, five of whom did not have sufficient oil in their lamps when the bridegroom came. That oil represents conversion to Jesus Christ, and the story serves as a warning for us as the Second Coming of the Savior approaches. Because they were not prepared, the five virgins without sufficient oil were not allowed to enter the wedding feast. They were not whole, while the five virgins who did have sufficient oil, were.

“We are whole in Jesus Christ when we exercise our agency to follow Him in faith, submit our hearts to Him so He can change them, keep His commandments, and enter a covenant relationship with Him, meekly enduring and learning from the challenges of this earthly estate until we return to His presence and are healed in every way,” President Johnson said. “I can be whole while I wait for healing if I am wholehearted in my relationship with Him.

“Faith in Jesus Christ begets hope. I find hope in striving to be whole–a wholeness born of faith in Jesus Christ. Faith in Him increases my hope for healing, and that hope reinforces my faith in Jesus Christ. It is a powerful cycle.”

It struck me just how much emphasis President Johnson put on our spiritual wholeness in Christ being up to us.

“‘Many are called, but few [choose to be] chosen,'” she said, slightly altering what is said in Doctrine and Covenants 121:34 to reflect counsel given by Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles during an October 2022 general conference address.

“To be or to become chosen is not an exclusive status conferred upon us,” Elder Bednar said. “Rather, you and I ultimately can choose to be chosen through the righteous exercise of our moral agency.”

Imploring those listening to her words, President Johnson continued:

“All will be physically and emotionally healed in the Resurrection. But will you choose now to be whole in Him?”

She recognized the multiplicity of illnesses and diseases prevalent in society, such as “chronic pain, autoimmune disorders like multiple sclerosis, cancer, anxiety, depression, and the like,” but said:

“That kind of healing is on the Lord’s time. And in the meantime, we can choose to be made whole by exercising our faith in Him!”

I feel immense gratitude that I can be spiritually whole, even if I’m not physically or emotionally whole, and that such is possible right now. And it’s empowering to know that I have the ability to control whether or not I am spiritually whole. The words of the scriptures and from Latter-day Saint leaders make it clear that God wants me to be spiritually whole. He wants that for all of us so that we can be prepared for the Savior’s return and so that we can live with God forever.

“He is risen. Jesus Christ lives,” President Johnson said. “Ultimately all will be healed, physically and emotionally, in Him. And in the waiting for that healing, faith in the Master Healer will make us spiritually whole.”

Contact Ryan Comer at rcomer@standard.net.